Quotes of Romain Rolland

“If there is one place on the face of the earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India….For more than 30 centuries, the tree of vision, with all its thousand branches and their millions of twigs, has sprung from this torrid land, the burning womb of the Gods. It renews itself tirelessly showing no signs of decay.”

Romain Rolland   From: Life of Ramakrishna

“The true Vedantic spirit does not start out with a system of preconceived ideas. It possesses absolute liberty and unrivalled courage among religions with regard to the facts to be observed and the diverse hypotheses it has laid down for their coordination. Never having been hampered by a priestly order, each man has been entirely free to search wherever he pleased for the spiritual explanation of the spectacle of the universe.”

Romain Rolland  From: Life of Vivekananda

“The greatest book is not the one whose message engraves itself on the brain – but the one whose vital impact opens up other viewpoints, and from writer to reader spreads the fire that is fed by the various essences, until it becomes a vast conflagration leaping from forest to forest.”

Romain Rolland

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‘Here comes Aurobindo, the completest synthesis that has been realized to this day of the genius of Asia and the genius of Europe.’.. ‘in his hand, in firm unrelaxed grip, the bow of creative energy.’ 

Romain Rolland on Sri Aurobindo:

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“I am bringing to Europe, as yet unaware of it, the fruit of a new autumn, a new message of the Soul, the symphony of India, bearing the name of Ramakrishna. “

Romain Rolland on Sri Ramakrishna

‘And in the life of Ramakrishna, the Man-Gods, I am about to relate the life of this Jacob’s ladder, whereon the twofold unbroken line of the Divine in man ascends and descends between heaven and earth.’
Ramakrishna is the younger brother of our Christ. It is always the same Man – the son of Man, the Eternal, Our Son, Our God reborn. With each return he reveals himself a little more fully, and more enriched by the Universe.’

Romain Rolland

Skepticism, riddling the faith of yesterday, prepared the way for the faith of tomorrow.

Romain Rolland